Scott R. Colwell

Toward a measure of service convenience: multiple‐item scale development and empirical test

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report on the development and nomological testing of a 17‐item scale measuring the five dimensions of service convenience (decision, access, transaction, benefit, and post‐benefit) as proposed by Berry, Seiders, and Grewal.Design/methodology/approach – A cross‐sectional survey methodology was used to collect the data.Findings – Reliability and validity assessments provided evidence of the scales psychometric validity. Service convenience was found to be a significant predictor of overall satisfaction in the context of personal cellular telephone and internet usage.Research limitations/implications – This study uses a student sample which may limit its generalizability to other respondents. Also, the cross‐sectional survey methodology does not allow for the investigation of causation. Future research should investigate other contexts outside of the cellular and internet services examined in this study and across a broader sample. Furthermore, the ability to retros...

The effect of cognitive trust on hostage relationships

This study examines the role of cognitive trust and the potential for relationship dissolution when consumers perceive themselves to be in a hostage relationship with their retail banking service provider. This study reviews current literature on relationship continuance intentions, hostage relationships and transaction‐based cognitive trust to develop testable hypothesis on the affect of cognitive trust in hostage relationships. Quantitative data gathered via a cross‐sectional survey is then analyzed using structural equation modeling. The results indicate that consumers who perceive themselves to be in a hostage relationship with their bank indicate significant cognitive trust in the transactional ability of their bank and are deterred from dissolving the relationship, regardless of their perception of the undesirability of the relationship. This paper provides evidence of the effect of cognitive trust as a deterrent of relationship dissolution in hostage relationships. Also provided are managerial and ...

Evaluating a model linking assessed parent factors to four domains of youth risky driving

Motor vehicle collisions are the leading cause of death in youth aged 15-19. Research has consistently shown that driver education programs do not result in safer youth driving. Indeed, the biggest predictor of collisions involving youth is parental history of collisions. The current study examined how parental modeling of and teaching about risky driving behaviors related to youth practices within four domains of risky driving (aggressive, substance use, distracted, moving violations), and evaluated whether the Prototype-Willingness Model explains links from parent to teen driving practices. Participants (N=432) were undergraduate students (mean age 18 years, age range 17-22 years) who had obtained their G2 drivers license within the past year; the G2 drivers license allows youth to drive alone on all municipal roads, with some restrictions on their blood alcohol level and the number of passengers they can carry. Results revealed that parental modeling was more predictive than parental teaching for all domains of risky driving examined. Youth whose parents modeled risky driving behaviors were found to be more likely to have engaged in those risky driving behaviors in the past, as well as to be more willing to engage in the behaviors in the future. The Prototype-Willingness Model was not a good fit to explain these relations. Findings from this study highlight the role parents play in the development of youth risky driving practices.

Sympathetic Magic and Gambling: Adherence to the Law of Contagion Varies with Gambling Severity

This study assessed adherence to the law of contagion by 118 undergraduate students (39 males). Participants were students who played a slot machine game after viewing a prior player who seemed to be winning (“lucky” condition) or losing (“unlucky” condition). Adherence to the law of contagion was assessed by the selection of the coin holder used by a “lucky” prior player and the avoidance of the coin holder used by an “unlucky” prior player. Contagion varied directly with scores on the Problem Gambling Severity Index and scores on the Luck/Perseverance subscale of the Gamblers’ Belief Questionnaire (Steenbergh et al. in Psychol Addict Behav 16(2):143–149, 2002). Gamblers high in problem severity chose the “lucky” coin holder and avoided the “unlucky” coin holder significantly more than gamblers low in problem severity. Problem gamblers, therefore, exhibit evidence of magical thinking related to the transfer of a “lucky” essence. The same was the case for individuals with a strong level of belief that sheer continuation in gambling (luck perseverance) results in success and for individuals who believe that luck is a personal rather than a situational characteristic. All three variables (problem gambling severity, luck perseverance and personal luck) had direct effects on behavior reflecting irrational magical thinking. A belief that knowledge or skill has a role in successful gaming was unrelated to magical thinking. These findings suggest potential foci for cognitive interventions with problem gamblers and those with non-skill based evidence of irrational thinking.

Cyberbullying victimization and adolescent mental health: evidence of differential effects by sex and mental health problem type

The use of electronic communication technologies has become a core method for adolescent communication. While there are many benefits to such technologies, cyberbullying has emerged as a potential harm. This study examines the association between cyberbullying and adolescent mental health problems and the extent to which this association differs by sex and mental health problem type. A clustered sample of 31,148 students in grades 6–12 (Female = 51.9%; 56.5% Caucasian, 10.2% South Asian) completed an anonymous survey asking their frequency of exposure to traditional forms of bullying, cyberbullying, and experiences of mental health problems over the past 6 months. Multilevel structural equation modelling was used to examine the associations. Controlling for age and traditional forms of bullying, cyberbullying was a significant predictor of adolescents’ emotional and behavioral problems. Cyberbullying was more strongly associated with emotional problems for females and with behavioral problems for males. This evidence identifies unique adverse effects associated with cyberbullying on both emotional and behavioural problems and sex differences in the strength of these associations.

The associations between sex, immigrant status, immigrant concentration and intimate partner violence: Evidence from the Canadian General Social Survey

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is an important public health concern, yet little is known about the combined effects of individual- and neighbourhood-level characteristics on IPV among immigrants. The aim of this study is to examine: (1) the association between immigrant status and IPV victimisation and whether sex modifies this association, and (2) the association between the neighbourhood concentration of immigrants and IPV victimisation, and whether immigrant status modifies this association. Our sample of 10,964 males and females comes from the 2009 Canadian General Social Survey. After controlling for covariates, immigrant status was not associated with IPV, and sex significantly modified the association between immigrant status and financial and physical/sexual IPV. Compared to males, second-generation females were less likely to report financial IPV and first-generation females were more likely to report physical/sexual IPV. Immigrant status modified the association between the neighbourhood concentration of immigrants and emotional and physical/sexual IPV. Compared to third-generation males, first-generation males living in neighbourhoods with a higher concentration of immigrants were more likely to report emotional IPV, whereas second-generation males in these neighbourhoods were less likely to report physical/sexual IPV. Interventions to reduce IPV should pay equal attention to individual- and neighbourhood-level influences.

WHEN SUPPLIER ETHICAL POLICIES MATTER TO A BUYER (OR DON'T): THE MODERATING ROLE OF SWITCHING COST.

The article examines the ethical problems between a supplier and buyer, particularity when switching costs are involved. The article aims to understand when supplier ethics matter. It is suggested that by understanding when supplier ethics matter, it will assist organizations in achieving a goal of ethicality in conjuction with financial success, while also helping management scholars and practitioners become more relevant in debating and forming social polices focusing on achieving such ends. The article uses signaling theory to explicate theoretically rationale for why a suppliers ethical policies signal their intent to act ethically, which in turn can increase a buyers trust in and commitment to a supplier.